Lions heading bringing their curtain down while Heartland teams part of bumper last round

• By Scott MacLean

Just two matches in the lower North Island this weekend. The Wellington Lions are at home for their final match, while Wairarapa-Bush are also at home for their final round-robin match but hoping it is not their last at home. Horowhenua-Kapiti are playing away.

Representative

As covered in Monday’s column, Northland’s draw with Canterbury last Sunday afternoon extinguished the Lions last flickering hopes of making the playoffs. While their defence comes to an end on Saturday at Porirua Park, they’ll be looking to go out on a high, but that will not be easy as the Bay of Plenty Steamers – who comfortably beat Taranaki in recent weeks and trounced Waikato last round – will be looking to get a winning tune-up in before next weekend’s playoffs.

The Lions have rattled off a number of changes from the defeat to Taranaki. James O’Reilly and PJ Sheck join Xavier Numia in the front row, and Hugo Plummer returns from injury and is joined by Dominic Ropeti at lock who swaps with Matolu Petaia allowing the latter a run in a more usual No8 jersey. Cody Lokotui tags in on the blindside for Caleb Delany who was forced off last week. In the backs the sole change has Tom Maiava in for Kapu Broughton-Winterburn who reverts to the pine, joined there by Vili Tauofaga who debuted in week one, and two potential debutants in OBU’s Harry Irving and Ories’ David Leota-Johnson who have both impressed during the Centurions campaign.

All other Wellington representative sides have finished their seasons.

Heartland

So much to play for here. Over in Masterton Wairarapa-Bush (23) could finish anywhere from third to eighth, but that also applies to their opponents Poverty Bay (23) when they meet on the turf at Memorial Park at 1.00pm. Horowhenua Kapiti (21) aren’t out of the running to make the top-four and the Meads Cup either, but need a swag of results to go their way as well as beating South Canterbury (24) away in Timaru.

The only thing certain in the competition is that Mid-Canterbury (35) will be top qualifiers and host surprise package North Otago (26) in Ashburton, while Whanganui (26) will have to stave off the challenge of defending champions Thames Valley (24) if they are to host the other Meads Cup semi-final as NZ Rugby gets the dream of all eight playoff sides battling amongst each other in the final round.

In the two matches that will have no impact on the playoffs East Coast look to avoid a winless year when they host King Country, and Greymouth is the venue for the local derby between West Coast and Buller.

Teams

Lions

1. Xavier Numia (Ories), James O’Reilly (HOBM), 3. PJ Sheck (Tawa), 4. Hugo Plummer (Tawa), 5. Dominic Ropeti (Ories), 6. Cody Lokotui (Wellington), 7. Sione Halalilo (Ories), 8. Matolu Petaia (Tawa), 9. Kyle Preston (OBU), 10. Jackson Garden-Bachop (Norths), 11. Tom Maiava (Ories), 12. Julian Savea (Ories – Captain), 13. Losi Filipo (Petone), 14. Stanley Solomon (Petone), 15. Callum Harkin (OBU) | 16. Penieli Poasa (Ories), 17. Senio Sanele (Upper Hutt), 18. Vili Tauofaga (HOBM), 19. Harry Irving (OBU – Debut), 20. David Leota-Johnson (Ories – Debut), 21. Nui Muriwai (HOBM), 22. Hibiki Yamada (Japan), 23. Kapu Broughton-Winterburn (HOBM)

Wairarapa Bush

1. Tupou Lea’aemanu (Carterton – captain), 2. Terongo Tekii (Carterton), 3. Faka’onga Lea’aemanu (Carterton), 4. Malakai Biumaiwai (Carterton), 5. Alec Odell (Loan – Old Boys Marist), 6. Cody Cunningham (Martinborough), 7. Inia Katia (Carterton), 8. Folau Finau Vea (Loan – OBU), 9. Daryl Pickering (Carterton), 10. Jack Eschenbach (Martinborough), 11. Soli Malatai (Greytown), 12. Fiula Tameilau (Carterton), 13. Levi Harmon (Loan – COB), 14. Charles Mataitai (Marist), 15. Jack Delaney (Loan – Feilding) | 16. Lewis Bush (Greytown), 17. Stan Wright Jf (Marist), 18. Vea Fuli (Greytown), 19. Matthew Masoe (Marist), 20. Thomas Williams (East Coast), 21. Sam Walton-Sexton (Greytown), 22. Willie Mataitai (Marist), 23. Gracyn Evans (Greytown)

Horowhenua Kapiti

1. George Jacobs (Foxton), 2. Jeremy David (Foxton), 3. Ted Northcott (Rahui), 4. Michael Laursen (Foxton), 5. Mikaere Harvey (Foxton), 6. Albert Hemopo (Foxton), 7. Aaron Lahmert (Waikanae), 8. Pene To’o (Loan – Upper Hutt), 9. Tema Tihema (Foxton), 10. Rory Woollett (Loan – Petone), 11. Joeli Rauca (Foxton), 12. Emmanuel Solomona (Loan – Upper Hutt), 13. Connor Paki (Foxton), 14. Darren Falaniko (Wanderers), 15. Max Hosking (Paraparaumu) | 16. Harry Press (Loan – HOBM – Debut), 17. David McErlean (Foxton), 18. Stephen Burnell (Shannon), 19. Brad Reilly (Paraparaumu), 20. Cameron Bond (Waikanae – Debut), 21. Jayson Aquila (Paraparaumu), 22. Josh Sanson (Foxton), 23. Massie Harvey (Foxton)